Rating:
The reason I have given them a rating of 2/10, is because giving them a lower rating was not an option on the website.
My experience has been extremely dissatisfying, and even after over two month since they have collected my belongings, a vessel to ship my belongings is yet to be booked and my belongings are still in the UAE. I would thus never recommend Elite Shipping LLC to anyone, there are many other companies which you can utilize their services, some even offering more competitive prices. I believe that choosing them to ship my belongings was a mistake and would not recommend them.
Background:
I needed to hire the services of a shipping company to ship my belongings from UAE to Canada, as I was relocated with my family overseas. I got in contact with several shipping/moving/relocating companies in the UAE and obtained an offer from them, with the cost and duration expected to ship my belongings to Canada. While the cost provided by Elite Shipping was on the highe
r side, they did provide me with the best shipping/delivery duration. They also did offer me a discount, and while their price with that discount was still higher than others, they told me that other companies might offer lower prices and then increase it later once I have signed with them, however, for them the price offered will be the only amount I pay and it will not even increase by 1 Dirham. So, I proceeded with them
Now during my initial interactions with them, their Sales team appeared extremely professional and prompt in their responses, responding to emails and whatsapp messages immediately, thus this along with their quick shipping duration gave me a sense of trust and made me proceed with them. Additionally, I was a little deceived by the positive, albeit outdated, reviews which I saw online.
This is actually one of the reasons I decided to write this review, hoping that others would be better informed of what to expect and learn from my experience. Additionally, I do hope that the Companies management (other then those I have been interacting with) can come across this review, and the many other reviews I hope on writing online, and hoping they can intervene to rectify this issue from their end.
Following my Travel:
My initial interactions with M/s. Elite Shipping team was positive and prompt. Once their team has collected my belongings and I have paid the amount in full, I kept in touch before I left the UAE to confirm that everything is in order and there are no hassles or issues, which they confirmed and assured me, until I travelled from the UAE.
I have now been waiting for over 60 days from the day they collect my belongings for them to even confirm a shipping date and provide me with the vessel details carrying my belongings, but to no avail. While they used to be prompt in their responses, now I have to send multiple email reminders so that I can hear back from them. While they used to get back to my Whatsapp messages, and provide me with updates, that is no longer the case.
I have thus requested some friends and family in the UAE to follow-up with them on my behalf, and we are still to this date following up with them trying to have this matter expedited and have them confirm a vessel.
While delays in the international shipping lines are expected due to the COVID situation, this was never something new, but was a matter that should have been known even before finalizing their deal with me. They should have been clear about that like other companies were rather than make promises about shipping durations that they could not meet. Additionally, they should have confirmed a vessel before or soon after taking my money (like few companies had told me they will be doing, which I should have actually paid heed to and confirmed, but I mistakenly thought that all shipping companies would do the same).
I believe M/s. Elite Relocation should have been open about any expected shipping issues and updated me to keep me in the picture whenever they happen. I would expect any professional company would have brought any concerns to my attention before I left the UAE (which their Sales team were aware of as I updated them), which would have allowed me to at least look for another Company to take over from them if they were facing difficulties that would prevent them from meeting their commitments.
Upon my travel they should have remained prompt in their responses to my request for updates, rather than keep me hanging. All points that would have maintained a little of the positive view I had after our initial interaction, but sadly not.
Final Words:
I am still hoping this issue will be sorted soon, but have decided to write this review to share my experience, so people are better aware of what they can come to face and be mentally prepared, and not be deceived by positive reviews they might see online.
My experience has been negative: Elite Shipping have failed to meet their commitments to me to this date, and are no longer prompt in responding to my emails or messages. People looking for an international shipping company in the UAE can find cheaper companies (which I would be happy to recommend). I even would have overlooked some of the delays if they had been more transparent and remained prompt in their updates and respondes, keeping me in the picture about the reason for the delays and what they are doing to rectify the issue, but keeping me hanging and in the blind, I feel is dishonest, or unprofessional to say the least.
I do hope I can come back later and update this review once the matter has settled, and give more details of what happened after and how the issue was sorted.
Other points I was not sure were to add:
1) While their Team has confirmed to me during my initial discussions before my travel that I can contact them any time, even after my belongings have shipped and they can get me any information I might need even from their representatives in Canada, lately, their sales team would direct me to their operations team. Their operations team would ask me to contact the Vessel representative myself, all of which is unprofessional and contribute to this negative review.
2) I feel their team has no sense of concern for the hardships I am facing with all my belongings stuck in the UAE, how it is affecting me financially having to repurchase items that I own, that should have either already arrived or be close to arrival, such as the many items that won't be here when my kids start school this September, not to mention their beds and desks that are yet to arrive. All they keep mentioning is how my items are in their storage for more than they expected!
3) When I first received their offer it specified door-to-door transit time of 40 to 45 days, subject to custom clearance at both ends. I specifically brought this issue up and said it would not be acceptable for me that my belongings remain in UAE for a month or even two month and then they blame it on custom issues, however, their representative clearly confirmed to me that this is never the case and typically they ship in 15-20 days, and if there are delays they are never that long (the 1 or 2 month I mentioned). Now here we are 60 days later and the shipping vessel is not yet booked!Read more Their packing team was quick
Initial interactions with their Assistant Sales Manager was positive
Promises not kept. I have been waiting for more than 60 days for items to be shipped or a vessel to be booked).
No updates and delayed responses to my emails and queries
